MEMBERSHIP OF THE IHO

Dear Hydrographer, Please find attached herewith : CL 5/2017 : REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON - SUSPENSION OF RIGHTS OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE IHO Yours sincerely, IHO M.MOLLET IHO File No. S1/3085 CIRCULAR LETTER 05/2017 16 January 2017 REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON - SUSPENSION OF RIGHTS OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE IHO References: A. Financial Regulations of the IHO - Article 16 - Suspension of rights of a Member B. Convention on the IHO as amended - Article XV Dear Hydrographer, 1. I am writing to inform you that, despite repeated attempts to make contact with the nominated representative of the Republic of Cameroon and, most recently, with the Government of Cameroon through the Government of the Principality of Monaco, the IHO Secretariat has been unable to obtain payment of the annual contributions to the IHO. The last payment of contributions from the Republic of Cameroon was for the year 2013. This means that the Republic of Cameroon is now three years in arrears with its payments. 2. According to Article 16 of the Financial Regulations of the IHO, “If a Member State is in arrears in its contributions for two years, having been advised of its outstanding arrears, and fails to make payment in full or fails to agree to a schedule of payments, the Member State shall be suspended with effect from the next 1st of January”. 3. In the circumstances, the Republic of Cameroon must now be considered as suspended from membership of the IHO from 1 January 2017. According to Article XV of the Convention on the IHO this means that the Republic of Cameroon “shall be denied all voting rights and benefits conferred on Member States by the Convention and the Regulations until such time as the outstanding contributions have been paid”. 4. The Secretariat has informed the Government of the Principality of Monaco as the Depositary and Host State of the IHO and has asked that the Government of the Republic of Cameroon be formally informed of the situation and the fact that it has been suspended as a Member State of the IHO. Yours sincerely, Robert WARD Secretary-General Mapping our Seas, Oceans and Waterways - more important than ever